Holocaust Reminders

Yesterday's shooting at the Holocaust Museum was a solemn reminder to us all that hate is still alive and thriving in this "enlightened" age. For the interpreting community, another reminder was broadcast: You are responsible for your own safety.

A colleague of mine was working at the museum where the shootings occured and was, fortunately, safely ensconced in a bathroom when the shots were being fired. However, it drives home an important point that many interpreters do not consider as we flit from location to location. No one knows where we are. Our loved ones do not know where we are working on almost an given day and even the buildings we enter are frequently unable to account for our presences in the even of an emergency. The fact remains, no one will miss us at roll call when the head counters are going down the lists.

What this means for us is that we have to manage our own safety. That begins with having a plan for contacting your loved ones in the event of an emergency. Did you know that the local phone lines were burdened to the point of uselessness during Katrina and 9/11, but that long distance calls could still be made? Authorities recommend that you plan to touch base with someone outside of the local area and make it known to those who care about you that they should call that designated person if they can't get ahold of you directly.

When entering any facility you should, of course, make yourself aware of the evacuation plan. In DC, many of those buildings are a virtual rat maze and we are usually escorted around the premises. Stop and make sure you know where you are in the building and that you can get out, if necessary. Don't rely on your mental trail of breadcrumbs. Know the exit routes or where the building maps are on the walls. In addition, be on the lookout for any rooms labeled "Shelter in Place". This is where you'll need to go in the event that something is going on outside that makes it unsafe to be on the street (think "chemical attack" or "zombie invasion"). Also, keep an eye out for an AEDs and fire extinguisher. The AED (automatic electrical defribillator) is your best friend in emergencies involving people not breathing. It will help walk you through CPR.

There is a great deal more to think about with emergency planning and I can't emphasize how important this is to do for yourself. Most employees have the luxury of relying on their place of employment to have a well-developed plan for emergency situations. Outside of the DC area, I would be surprised if those places really DO have good plans. Even if they do, you are still an unknown quantity.

Take care of yourself.

It's hard to argue with simplicity

A recent case of mine involved a client locked up for assault.  Said client carries a diagnosis of mental retardation, severe epilepsy, and psychotic tendencies.  A recent outburst of the aforementioned psychotic tendencies is what landed his butt in jail.  

These cases are always a challenge for an interpreter.  The trick of the matter is to be confident enough in your skills to know that you aren't missing nuances because of a lack of linguistic ability.  I was rather impressed at the client's comprehension of his condition and location.  When I asked him if he knew where he was and what a jail was, he responded that "jail is where they put you when they are not happy with you."  A simple explanation, but pretty darned accurate.  In asking if he understood what a judge does, I learned that a judge "listens to your story and lets you go if he likes the story, but keeps you in jail if he doesn't like your story".  

As an interpreter, these answers were a bit relevatory.  We get so caught up in trying to explain all of the details that go along with whatever we're trying to explain in a legal setting, that we often forget that simplicity is really the best answer.  It forces me to re-examine the interpretations I have been rendering.  The tendency is to expand upon the concepts being presented either for purposes of clarity or in some vain attempt to level the balance of power in a legal setting.  Understanding that this might just be another form of oppression in that providing too MUCH information to a client, helps me to be a better practionier.

Everyday is a practice and sometimes that reminder comes from surprising places.

Mum's the Word

As I embark upon keeping a public record of my work, I have been asked by colleagues about the issue of confidentiality.  One of the tenets of my profession is that we have to maintain a certain degree of secrecy about our work.  This helps folks trust us in our work and know that we won't be blabbering the juicy tidbits about their nose job around town.

With that being said, a lot of the work that I do is a matter of public record and, to a certain extent, open to analysis and comment.  Much of the court work I am involved with is open to the public.  The exceptions being juvenile court or otherwise closed proceedings.  I also do quite a bit of platform and performance work, which is also open to the public.  I will maintain the cloak of confidentiality as much as possible and still share some of the trials and tribulations of my work.  

Here is a photo of a gig I did late last year.  This is the Sarah Brightman concert at the Verizon Center.